Clearly the well-nurtured product of a loving household, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is the father of six children with wife Tiffany, all born with a sense of deep-rooted permanence. When talking about the kids he works with away from the football field and away from his own home, though, Rivers uses the word “forever” as if it’s the most powerful, most important adjective in the language.

“(There were) these two little girls who had bounced from home to home,” said Rivers, recalling his early involvement in the cause of foster children. “I got to hear their story. That’s when I knew. The story they shared was of a social worker coming to the house. Usually, that meant they were moving.

“The little sister who was six told the big sister who was eight, “Pack your bags! We’re going again!’ But they weren’t going. That was the house where they ended up staying. Hearing a six-year-old saying “Pack your stuff. Here we go again,’ and seeing them now with their forever mom and dad…

“To think that they’re that little and that aware, for people to help them find their forever home, it’s such a community effort that can get us all excited and happy.”

The namesake of the Rivers of Hope Foundation -- formed in 2010 with the mission of finding homes for San Diego County's unwanted, abandoned and orphaned children – is being recognized as one of three finalists for Walter PaytonNFL Man of the Year Award. The honor, to be bestowed this weekend as part of Super Bowl festivities in Indianapolis, is recognition of active players’ involvement in community service as well as his excellence afield.

Quarterback Philip Rivers talks about being a finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Rivers was nominated for his work with the Rivers Of Hope Foundation, which places abused and neglected children with families.

Quarterback Philip Rivers talks about being a finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Rivers was nominated for his work with the Rivers Of Hope Foundation, which places abused and neglected children with families.

Before he went off to Hawaii to play in the Pro Bowl, Rivers fulfilled a request from the Make-a-Wish organization, driving to Mattel Children’s Hospital to visit a 7-year-old named Jaime. The boy, a resident of Escondido, has been battling cancer.

“Here’s a kid who could be dying any day that wants to meet you, of all people,” said Rivers. “He’s got one wish and I’m his favorite player. You think, “Man!” You don’t turn that one down. That was an easy drive up. You think of the small sacrifice of driving up for a couple of hours to maybe make this kid be able to be with his mom and dad for three more days. Who knows? I hadn’t checked on him in a couple days, but he’d made it seven, eight, nine days when they were thinking it’d be two or three…

“We played catch, We put on the Ravens game and he kept watching. He’s a 7-year-old in the hospital, hooked up to every machine known to man, and he was happy. Those are the little things that, while it’s helping the kid, in a selfish way, it’s really impactful to me as a person.

“Here’s a 7-year-old and … you thinking losing is tough? Losing six in a row, fumbling a snap, that ain’t nothing. It really isn’t.”

Therein is a bit of irony about the timing of the Man of the Year Award and the possibility that it will go to Rivers. It comes on the heels of his most difficult season as the Chargers’ leader, an 8-8 campaign in which Rivers had some uncharacteristically bad moments, most notably the 20 interceptions he threw. For the second straight year, a Chargers team picked by many to contend for the season failed to even make the postseason.

“There’s different ways of being over it,” said Rivers. “I’m not still replaying plays. I’m past that, for sure. Until the Super Bowl’s over, though, you haven’t quite put the year behind you. As soon as Monday morning hits, we’re all 0-0 again and everybody’s chasing the next championship.

“You’ve got to move on. I’ve grown as a person where you have to be able to embrace and grow and be thankful for the good and the bad. You can’t just appreciate the good. When you have some bad and adversity -- as we had this year, and I had more this year than other years – you gotta be able to take it and grow from it. The bumps in the road to the top make you more grateful.”

Rivers always told himself that he’d never attend a Super Bowl until he went as one of the players in The Game He’s changing that stance, however, to be on hand for the Man of the Year Award presentation.